BUT...I feel it.
AND...
I need to start getting back some of my fitness, but am not yet ready to hit training too purposefully and precisely yet, a lot of which I do in the gym. I'm also more motivated than ever to be outdoors and off-the-beaten path and it's making for some super fun times. Its also made me realize it might be what's been missing from my comeback to endurance sports. I can push myself hard in the gym in my 'perfect' training, but there's nothing like having to get up a mountain, with my legs burning and heart rate skyrocketing while trying to appreciate the most amazing views, and having the innate competitive edge to push on as hard as I can to the au natural finish line that's waiting at the top. Especially when I've got someone kicking my butt up the trail, like I did yesterday. Thanks Lance!!
That, combined with inspiration from Danny Pate - who knows a thing or two about how to stay powerful while having fun - and who has been hitting up the infamous Incline in Colorado Springs - sometimes twice - for workouts when its too cold to be out riding - or just to change things up a bit.
Yesterday we headed out to Palm Springs and ran, climbed, and hiked up Murray Peak. About 10-11 miles round-trip (we took a couple wrong turns that added to the 9 miles it usually takes.) A lot of which got pretty steep, especially near the top. I thought it was the perfect mix of interval training. I needed breaks (we were going pretty hard at times, or so it seemed) but as soon as my heart rate dropped we'd start running again. Lunch at the top was well worth it.
A wrong turn on the way back gave us the choice to back track, or make our own path down the side of the mtn and back up to hit the trail we'd missed, which is what we did. That, of course, turned our hike from awesome into epic. Not sure the photo captures it...but here goes:
Happy trails!
